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Help With Oversleeping After a Stroke

Oversleeping---that is, sleeping more than eight hours per day---is not only sometimes a precursor to stroke but is also something that tends to be common for people who have recently suffered a stroke. A related sleep disorder could be the underlying cause, but often the cause of oversleeping after a stroke is related to depression. Depression is the most common emotional problem faced by stroke survivors, according to the National Stroke Association.

  1. Depression Symptoms

    • Determining if you are depressed will be the first step in confirming that this is causing your oversleeping. Symptoms that may accompany depression-related oversleeping after stroke include a sad or empty feeling, fatigue, loss of appetite or unusual weight gain, inability to concentrate or make decisions, a feeling of worthlessness or guilt, thoughts of suicide or death, crying a lot and becoming easily annoyed, according to the National Stroke Association.

      A flood of emotions is normal after a stroke, and some grieving is healthy. But if the above symptoms apply for an extended time and become serious, seek help.

    Treatment

    • When other depression symptoms go away, you may find that oversleeping will also cease. Making the most out of your rehabilitation after a stroke will make you feel better as your conditions improve. Spending time with family and remaining active and involved with enjoyable activities will probably do as much good as any other therapy you receive, according to the National Stroke Association.

      Antidepressant medication appears to be the most common treatment for post-stroke depression, according to University of Iowa Healthcare. Although physicians must be careful in prescribing antidepressants because of the possibility of other illnesses in stroke victims that the medication may interfere with, some antidepressants have shown positive results. Nortriptyline and Citalopram have been effective in treating depression in stoke victims, but Prozac has been ineffective, according to University of Iowa Healthcare.

      Whether post-stroke depression is related to mere emotional response to the situation or is related to physical brain trauma experienced during the stroke is a matter of debate.

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